Dallas, TX – April 30, 2026 – KIVO, a dynamic pricing platform for telecom operators, announced it has been named Startup of the Year at Connected America 2026, run by Total Telecom, signaling growing interest in real-time monetization and API-driven network services. The award followed a multi-stage competition among 14 highly innovative startups and live pitch evaluation judged by telecom leaders, technical experts, and investors focused on commercial viability, technical feasibility, market readiness, and industry impact. 

This recognition reflects a broader shift underway across the telecom industry. Operators are exploring new revenue streams built around network APIs, Quality on Demand (QoD), and context-aware connectivity services. According to McKinsey & Company, Network APIs could unlock between $100 billion and $300 billion in value over the next four to six years (Ferry Grijpink et al., 2024). Yet most telecom services are still sold through static pricing structures and long-term predefined packages. This fixed-price approach limits monetization flexibility during periods of fluctuating demand, network capacity, and premium service usage driven by customer needs.

KIVO addresses this gap with a real-time, event-based pricing engine that allows Communications Service Providers (CSPs) to dynamically package, price, and monetize network services at the moment of consumption. The platform integrates seamlessly into existing BSS and OSS environments, eliminating the need for major infrastructure replacement. KIVO empowers operators to utilize existing infrastructure to generate new revenue streams

“We built KIVO around a simple observation. Demand moves in real time. Pricing doesn’t,” said Wahid Mohammad, CEO of PlektonLabs and Chief Product & Innovation Officer of  KIVO. “Operators don’t need more infrastructure to grow revenue; they need pricing systems that can respond to demand in real time.”

From Fixed Price Models to Dynamic Telecom Monetization

KIVO empowers operators to implement on-demand pricing for wireless, fiber, and satellite services, integrating crucial capabilities for analyzing pricing sensitivity and elasticity across enterprise and consumer segments.

Use case applicability:

• B2B: Live events, connected enterprise environments, IoT services, and temporary capacity upgrades where demand spikes influence network value
• B2C: On-demand bandwidth, premium streaming quality, cloud gaming optimization, and high-performance mobile experiences
• B2B2C: Telehealth, ride-hailing, smart city services, and latency-sensitive applications requiring adaptive network quality in real time

 

Early implementations also include dynamic bandwidth pricing and tiered SD-WAN monetization models aligned with congestion levels, timing, and application requirements. KIVO has completed MVP development and is currently operating within a telco production lab environment while advancing discussions with operators across North America and international markets.

 

Built From Tier-1 Telecom Delivery Experience

KIVO is a product of PlektonLabs, a consulting and professional services company delivering API integration and automation solutions for major Tier-1 telecom operators across the United States and Canada. This hands-on operator experience shaped KIVO’s architecture, integration model, and telco pricing strategy. 

KIVO’s journey began as an innovation initiative called Infinity, first showcased at DTW Ignite 2025. The initiative was proposed and led by PlektonLabs with support from AT&T, Bell, TELUS, stc, GCI, Acronym Solutions, Optiva, and other ecosystem collaborators. Following DTW Ignite, PlektonLabs continued evolving the concept beyond the original showcase, refining the monetization engine and productizing the platform into what is now KIVO.

The platform is TM Forum and CAMARA compliant, alongside having AI/ML-enabled smart pricing capabilities within the broader KIVO ecosystem. Its advisory board includes telecom executives and operators from KIVO’s target market, helping shape both commercial direction and operator readiness.

 

About KIVO

KIVO is a real-time, event-based dynamic Pricing platform for Telco operators and CSPs. The platform enables telecom companies to package, price, and monetize connectivity services dynamically based on live network demand, service quality, congestion, timing, and contextual usage patterns. KIVO empowers operators to utilize real-time network and service intelligence, offering deeper insights into revenue optimization, consumption patterns, shifts in demand, and avenues for monetization. It includes capabilities for demand prediction and control.

KIVO supports B2B, B2C, and B2B2C monetization models and integrates seamlessly into existing telecom BSS and OSS environments. For more information, visit www.kivopricing.com

 

About PlektonLabs

PlektonLabs is a trusted provider of design-first, end-to-end enterprise integration and reliable delivery services designed to support North American enterprises in executing complex transformation programs with confidence. Founded in 2017, our Design-First Delivery model embeds senior design authority directly into execution, ensuring decisions are continuously validated against real operational and performance constraints. Known for maintaining end-to-end practitioner accountability through build, cutover, and stabilization, PlektonLabs prevents brittle dependencies and uncontrolled complexity while delivering a white-glove service to customers.  For more information, visit www.plektonlabs.com

 

Media Contact

Name: Jane Fisher
Title: Director of Technology & Telecom Practice Lead, PlektonLabs
Email: jane.fisher@plektonlabs.com
Phone: 321-277-2991